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Table of Contents
Highlights of the Spiritual Path
- Humility and service as spiritual foundations
- Association with spiritually elevated beings
- Connecting with Sanatana Dharma scriptures
- Following Yama and Niyama for inner purity
- Developing unwavering faith through practice
In this video post, we shall see the following topics related to spirituality for beginners:
- Correlation of spirituality with religion.
- The nature of the spiritual process.
- What can spiritual living offer us?
- Eligibility for the spiritual path.
- Steps to become spiritual.
- The precondition for meditation in spiritual life.
The Interconnection Between Spirituality and Religion
The word spirituality and the word religion are closely related. We see modern people trying to separate religion from spirituality. In reality, religion and spirituality are one and the same in spirit.
A person who is deeply spiritual is, in many ways, religious and has a scientific understanding of the practices that he follows that keep him thoroughly connected with the center of creation. However, each individual may have his own interpretation and life experiences that uniquely describe that person and his spiritual side.
Understanding the Spiritual Process and Its Connection to Life
Only when we step back from our daily grind, either through conscious effort or accidentally, can we connect with the spiritual element within ourselves. For an individual who is caught up with the living process, that person shall have no opening within him to initiate spiritual possibilities.
True spirituality is when we discover the larger scheme of existence, having become acute observers of the phenomenon of existence at a micro and macrocosmic level.
The spiritual process is essentially the fine-tuning of our own inherent nature with that of existence. When both these are in consonance, our life is spiritual, whereas if this process is out of sync, we call our life mundane.
The Essence of True Spiritual Living
Hence, the spiritual process has a great meaning, especially in the context of the fine art of living and sharing. Whenever religious beliefs refine themselves and turn into elevating experiences, then that forms the basis of our spiritual life.
The highlight of a truly spiritual life is perfect satisfaction, contentment, and fullness beyond one’s wildest imagination. Matter has no connection with spirit, and hence fullness that is born out of the spirit is independent of material affluence.
Each and every individual who is living a conscious spiritual life is essentially religious, but it is well possible that two spiritual people may totally disagree with each other’s position on how they perceive the phenomenon of life. That is the flexibility that spiritual living offers.
A truly spiritual person has far exceeded the boundaries of petty belief systems and essentially lives in the domain of perfect power that guides and protects him. Therefore, it is important for every individual to get deeper into the life process and discover his own unique spiritual process.
This may help him graduate into the vastness of the all-encompassing and all-protecting spiritual empire where he finds his own space in that domain.
7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
The scores generated in this Quiz may or may not be absolute. There may be right or wrong answers to each Question. A percentage towards 100 indicates that you are more aligned to the overall subject matter.
The Need for a Spiritual Foundation and Inner Sensitivity
Living here on this planet without a spiritual base is very risky and not worth living. If we are to continue our mundane roller coaster, which is bound to end in inconsolable tragedy, we shall see how we can discover our own spiritual paths in a terrain that is unknown, with too many uncharted landscapes, which follow laws that an average individual is totally unfamiliar with.
It is important to understand that the spiritual path is intuitive by nature, and unless one is sensitive enough to read the signals, he shall not be able to establish a spiritual path for himself.
A person only becomes eligible for the spiritual path if he has some inherent qualities. If he does not possess those qualities, he has to perform sadhana or undertake certain spiritual practices so that in the long run, he attains those qualities, which in turn shall help him progress on the spiritual path.
Essential Qualities for Walking the Spiritual Path
Let us consider some fundamental qualities that a person has or needs to develop if he is to undertake the spiritual path. A person should be humble. This is a primary qualification for a person to begin his spiritual journey.
In order to develop humility, one has to consciously perform some act of service to others. One should serve elder people in a mode of humility. If serving the needy with money is possible, one should consider donating money, foodstuff, or any other kind.
During the course of such an activity, it is important to keep one’s identity a secret. Otherwise, instead of increasing the humility in one’s character, the ego shall get strengthened. Remember that society does not need our help, but we need society so that we can begin our spiritual journey. Serve and forget—that should be one’s motto.
One should interact with elevated beings. It is essential that one should be in some way connected with an elevated being. One should attend the lectures of elevated beings and take practical tips from their lectures.
One should also consider supporting some of the genuine initiatives of such beings, which are done as an activity of dedication to the supreme power. One can also assist other superior beings in their philanthropic activities. This is a powerful method to bring about rapid transformation in an individual.
Practical Wisdom and Scriptural Guidance in Spiritual Life
If we interact and serve the purpose of dedicated beings, we shall get introduced to a practical spiritual laboratory where we shall learn the do’s and don’ts of spiritual life from a practical standpoint. Practical is always superior to theoretical knowledge.
One has to connect with Sanatana Dharma scriptures. The Sanatana Dharma scriptures are the topmost guides for a person who wishes to begin his spiritual journey. Reading the Bhagavad Gita is a good starting point for people to understand the fundamentals of spirituality.
One can also practice the meditation techniques that Sri Krishna has described in the scripture. Another way to understand the spiritual field is to visit holy lands within Bharat and interact with people who are following certain practices for inner purification.
One should follow the fundamentals of Yama and Niyama. Right living, right contact, contentment, and non-avarice are essential qualities that one has to develop if one is serious about becoming sensitive to spiritual living. Having too many ambitions is a great impediment to spiritual progress. It is important to observe oneself from within and watch every step that we take.
Cultivating Sensitivity, Integrity, and Faith in Spiritual Life
One has to become sensitive towards ourselves and others. This is a fundamental attitude that one must adopt on the path of spirituality. Being conscious of our words, work habits, and interpersonal relationships is vital for our spiritual health.
Rather than considering aspects of profit, business, and personal gains, the focus has to shift to mental, psychological, and emotional hygiene. Our cheating propensity has to get arrested at the earliest if at all we are to make spiritual progress.
Faith is key when it comes to spirituality. One has to consider a certain key aspect of life and make it a mandatory part of our spiritual regime. For example, we can make up our minds to pursue truth at all costs as part of our daily living. We may not compromise with this aspect at any cost. This is a strict spiritual regime.
Someone may take up an activity of serving needy people at fixed periods in a month, every month. When one engages with these dimensions of reality on a regular basis, a certain quality of faith develops within us. Such faith forms the backbone of spiritual life. Without a fixed practice, faith can never develop. Without faith, there is no spirituality.
Meditation as a Catalyst for Spiritual Growth
Learning to meditate can boost spiritual life. One has to understand that without the points just discussed, simply doing meditation shall have no intrinsic value. Meditation can boost our spiritual progress, no doubt.
However, without Yamas, Niyamas, truth, service, or holy association, just meditation has no spiritual value. This is my personal experience, but let’s consider that we are dedicated spiritual students. For such students of truth, meditation can work like a life-boosting drug that shall fasten one’s spiritual progress.
Integrating Meditation, Reflection, and Mindfulness into Spiritual Life
The benefits of meditation on our overall health and well-being are undeniable. This practice is also a great boost for beginners in spirituality. All it takes is a few minutes of mindfulness each day to start our spiritual journey. If our mind often wanders during meditation, we should try a guided session to train the mind first.
We should try to write about our observations about ourselves and the world around us. Since spirituality is deeply connected to self-awareness, we can enrich our spiritual experience by reflecting on it. Similar to meditation, writing offers a lot of benefits to our mental health. Writing about our inner thoughts and everyday experiences can help us discover more about ourselves and spirituality in general.
Spirituality cannot be a one-day, one-year, or decade-long affair. We have to ensure that spirituality enters every moment of our lives. Spending time with nature can help us focus on our internal processes and become self-conscious.
We can also help ourselves by becoming non-judgmental and avoiding gossip under all circumstances. The more we become introverted in our approach, the more we shall blossom towards our inherent spiritual nature.
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